Three snippets on a theme.

First up, because we’ve been starved of irony, some news from Brazil:

Because when you think of the dignity of women, you immediately picture drag queens.

Mr Hilton, a member of the Socialism and Liberty Party, has responded to his critics – people suggesting that perhaps the president of a Women’s Rights Committee might be an actual, you know, woman – by denouncing them as “LGBTphobes” and “defenders of paedophilia.” Which may strike readers as a little rich, given statistical realities.

On which, more shortly.

Mr Hilton has filed a criminal complaint against one of his critics, via the Public Prosecutor’s Office of São Paulo – and demands for the equivalent of $1.9 million dollars – on grounds that said critic failed to perceive Mr Hilton as a woman. A failure to affirm, or indeed to hallucinate, that Mr Hilton has seen fit to construe as “violence.”

And because a cake needs icing,

Meanwhile, in the laugh-a-minute world of transgender Reddit moderators:

And from Rhode Island’s educational bureaucracy:

But remember, dear citizen, these are Things That Never Happen.

The magic is forever. || Hear her roar. || Unforeseen obstruction. || Scenes of a runaway sled. || Keeper of secrets lets slip. || Some tilting occurred. || I bring cleavage. || Eight thousand voids (and counting). || Frankly, I question his motives. || A great symbolic moment of the twenty-first century. || “Take your meds,” says she. || Significant irritation detected. || Artefacts of enrichment, a possible series. || Simulated tripping, from quite mild to rather intense. (h/t, Elephants Gerald) || $200. || That’s exactly how I would’ve done it. || Competitive window cleaning. || Attuned to higher powers. (h/t, Neatorama) || How to eat spaghetti, a beginner’s guide. || Protest training, where mighty warriors are forged. || Hours of fun, for some values of fun. || Foodstuff, loosely. || Cliffhanger.

To enable extra commenting options – including @username mentions, comment editing, upvotes, custom avatars, and live notifications – scroll down to the black ‘Meta’ box at the very bottom of the page and click register. It’s free and quite painless.

For additional rumblings, follow me on X.

On the subject of space exploration, some items from the archives:

The Inadequate And Resentful Should Not Be Put In Charge.

A “diverse group of thought leaders” opine on space travel. It does not go well.

And in academic news:

The class, since you ask, is Ecofeminist Poetry & Poetics. Taught by a Professor of English, Brian Teare, who will, we’re assured, situate relationships and encourage re-feeling.

Professor Teare will also reveal, in ways somewhat mysterious, how “chattel slavery, imperialism, industrialisation, settler colonialism, and militarisation” can be understood – and righteously tutted about – by listening to “birds, goats, willow oaks, and lichen.”

Those suitably intrigued will “listen across species.” Having forked over the suitable fee, of course.

Because an intersection had to be mentioned at some point, obviously. One must be seen wearing that rhetorical jewellery.

Readers are welcome to ponder whether the anticipated insights on “slavery, imperialism, industrialisation, settler colonialism, and militarisation” – arrived at via ecofeminist poetry and listening to lichen, a lifeform with no sound-producing anatomy – will be in any way surprising.

Professor Teare, pictured here, is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Not entirely unrelated.

See also, situated bodies and self-other paradigms.

Consider this an open thread. Share ye links and bicker.

Via pst314 in the comments, more wonders from the world of education:

You’re intrigued, I can tell.

The specific purpose, lest there be doubt, being classroom urination. Which is apparently a niche activity, a buzz of sorts. Among grown men who are entrusted to shape young minds.

Finding pleasure in the small things.

Perhaps a little too much pleasure.

A close call. Which I’m assuming was the point.

As so often, action was taken, belatedly, only after footage was provided by a concerned parent. Mr Champ’s colleagues and employers being, it seems, oblivious to the rumours of similar incidents – one might say school legends – by which a great many pupils had been entertained, before searching out confirmation and circulating said evidence via Snapchat.

Mr Champ is currently “on leave.”